Portugal

In brief: The bounty was unexpected. This fall we found a wide range of new things to do in Lisbon after all the time we’ve been here. A Presidential Palace. A weekend of drama and…

In brief: For a couple of days, we enjoyed seatrekking, hiking among schist towns, flopping, and even talking into the night. It was a weekend filled with rivers and rocks. With eight other hardy, young…

In brief: While exploring the Douro River valley, we found other enticements in the vicinity - Bragança, Viana do Castelo, Arouca. Our main goal was to do the Douro River valley and its towns, as…

In brief: We finally took the opportunity to go with the flow - visiting the Douro River and environs - after seeing much of the rest of the country. There are many ways to “do…

In brief: We kayaked the coast with friends in a delightful half-day excursion. Sesimbra, tucked into a peninsula about an hour’s drive south of Lisbon, is an adventuring center. It nestles within the extensive Arrabida…

In brief: We took the opportunity in the Spring of 2025 to re-visit two of our favorite museums, and certainly tops in Lisbon – the Bordalo Pinheiro and the Gulbenkian. Bordalo Pinheiro Some five years…

In brief: We found a bit of old Lisbon under the aqueduct in the Campolide freguesia. At the edge of forested Monsanto park, on a plateau looking out over the Campolide valley, we took a…

Entrance, Teatro São Luiz The theatre is not dead - at least not the Teatro São Luiz. Built for royalty to enjoy, it endured through the end of the monarchy and still welcomed the best…

Peace, liberty, the future…celebrators and demonstrators - directly acting on their right to express their views - repeated these themes during Portugal's country-wide celebration of its liberation from the dictatorship of Salazar's fascist regime. On…

We traveled by bus to the north of Portugal at the edge of the border with Spain, a hilly region called Minho. Minho is well known for its special “green” wine, the Vinho Verde, as…